More Articles police & fire

comment

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Connecticut State Police have released a long-awaited after action report on the response to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 that left 26 people dead, including 20 children.

Police said that in the months following the shooting, they began the process of compiling the report to assess the response to the shooting, and to identify opportunities to improve on past practices. State police sought feedback from dozens of individuals, including troopers, agency support personnel, state and local agencies, and family members of the victims. Their responses guided to report that state police released Friday.

"The CSP is committed to continuous improvement and to that end, we collected and considered the many ways to improve training and inform policy and procedures," state police said.

A number of the recommendations for improvement identified in the report have already been implemented, and others are in the process of being implemented, according to state police.

"For example, one of the challenges noted in the report was the inability to communicate with other first responders due to limited cell capability. DESPP is working on behalf of the state to implement a broadband network for first responders, which will give priority and preemption for communication for first responders and emergency management during catastrophic incidents."

The report also included a number of recommendations regarding the continuation and enhancement of specific types of training, including crime scene management, medical, and active shooter tactical training. These have all been implemented into the Connecticut State Police training curriculum.

There are also other recommendations that suggest continuing certain procedures that are already in place, and thus require no additional action, police said.

State police said that for the relatively few recommendations that have not already been implemented, they will continue to incorporate the field's next and best practices as quickly as necessary and possible.

"The Connecticut State Police will continue to strive towards excellence in all that it does, and glean as much as it can from this tragedy and others occurring in the country and around the world," state police said.